1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to telecommunication systems and intelligent network (IN) architecture. In particular, this disclosure relates to a trigger mediation system for performing advanced services requested by a subscriber through the use of multiple service control points (SCPs), regardless of subscriber's access network.
2. Background
Subscribers or end-users connected to the telephone network may request a particular service during a call. A “service” is a value-added feature, such as call-diversion, free 800-number services, voice mailbox, or other feature. The subscriber may also request a set of services, which includes two or more services corresponding to one subscriber call. The phrase “multi-part” service may be used interchangeably with the phrase “set of services,” and means that more than one service is addressed to fulfill the request. Processing a set of services requires sequential operation to fulfill all services. For example, in existing wireless communication networks, a mobile switching center (MSC) may separately and independently contact a first service control point (SCP) to handle the first service request, then separately and independently contact the second SCP to handle the second service request. This is a fairly complex procedure and represents an inefficient use of the network bandwidth. Such multiple sequential SCP access introduces significant real-time processing delays, which may result in customer service completion delays.
Further, some services may not be available to the subscriber because the telephone company (“Telco”) has not made arrangements with a service supplier to provide such services. In addition, a small number of service suppliers traditionally control the marketplace for such value-added services. Accordingly, the Telco may hire the service provider to bundle multiple services on one SCP so that multiple popular services may be made available to the subscriber. However, this is expensive because the suppliers control the market and extract a high price for implementing the services. Bundling services also requires time to implement and deploy the services even though the multiple services may exist independently on different SCPs in the network. Additionally, extensive software debugging is required, which increases expense and may delay product roll-out.
To provide a set of services, two options may be available in existing Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) Circuit-Switched (CS) networks (GSM). As a first option, the MSC may separately and independently contact a first SCP to handle the first service request, then separately and independently contact a second SCP to handle the second service request.
As a second option, the telephone company (Telco) may hire the service provider to bundle both services on one SCP. In other words, the supplier may be hired to create the second service (e.g., Originating Identification Restriction Service), which currently resides on the second SCP, and place the newly created service on the first SCP so that the first SCP contains both services. Thus, the first SCP would then contain the bundled features of the 800-number service and the Originating Identification Restriction service. However, this is expensive and requires time to implement, even though both services may exist independently.
In the above example in a PLMN CS network (GSM), when the end-user requests the 800-number service, the MSC receives a trigger, which initiates processing. To perform the operation requested by the calling user, the MSC contacts the first SCP by establishing a communication link with the first SCP using the appropriate protocol. Once connected, the MSC facilitates operation of the 800-number service. After the 800-number service has been provided, the MSC disconnects from the first SCP.
To facilitate the second part or Originating Identification Restriction service of the calling user request (transparently as viewed by the end-user), the MSC then contacts the second SCP based on a second trigger or event, and establishes a new communication link with the second SCP using the appropriate protocol. Once connected, the MSC facilitates operation of the Originating Identification Restriction service. After the Originating Identification Restriction feature has been provided, the MSC disconnects from the second SCP, and the end-user request is complete. Note, however, that the type of communication link and the “appropriate” protocol used between the MSC and the first SCP and second SCP may differ.